November 8, 2017: Your say on roads, ramping, and a poem rebuttal

Roads

NOW THAT the heat wave spike seems to have stopped for a while we are facing very high rainfalls and temperature drops.

This will link with an increase in road accidents and police activity in fine collection.

There will be (briefly) more government and police threats to drivers under the guise of “driver education”.

More RBT, more radar,then things will drop back to the normal high accident rate and nothing more will be said about the carnage until we have the latest “climate warming” or “big freeze” announcements.

It is abundantly clear that Tasmania’s extremely high road accident figures are the result of below standard roads. I can’t think of any section of road in Tasmania that is up to the average European standard, and this can all be directly attributed to the diversion of government funding.

If it costs $3 million to build two kilometres of proper world-standard road then about 250 kilometres of road could be built every year without significant social disturbance.

Yes, it sounds a lot of money, but it would be money applied to lasting infrastructure and providing hundreds of jobs. I would rather that such money were spent on something real rather than frittered away in politicians’ salaries and their political gibberish.

Col Hayward, Goshen.

Refugee Advocates

MY WIFE (a lovely woman) and I were watching A Current Affair on December 1.

The segment was about the abuse of the elderly or sick, in some unscrupulous nursing homes around Australia.

So, as an Australian that values our way of life, our values, our history and our culture, I don't understand the do-gooders, that kick up a fuss and whinge and whine about the treatment of illegal refugees. The detention centres are better than what the residents are being subject to.

Use your energy and resources to stand up for Australia and the safety and wellbeing of Australian citizens in these places. The corruption and cruelty goes beyond what people realise. So do some good for Australia and Australian families.

Steve Rogers, South Launceston.

Hospital

WHILE THE dust seems to have settled over the ambulance ramping at the Launceston General Hospital recently, I’d like to ask Health Minister Michael Ferguson why is there only one emergency eepartment that the public is taken to?

And for those who bagged out the health union by claiming their concerns were a political stunt. What else would you expect but ambulance ramping when there’s only one emergency department for the entire North of the state to go to? It’s a disgrace, why aren’t the other two major hospitals in Launceston utilised for emergencies?

A.R. Trounson, Needles.

Australian Constitution

IN ANSWER to D and S Langerak (The Examiner, November 26) those who drew up the Australian Constitution during the 1890s and oversaw its implementation in 1901 were not Australian citizens; they were British citizens.

That is because there was no such thing as an Australian citizen until the Citizenship Act of 1948.

The irony of that Act is that once it passed it meant virtually all Australians became dual citizens. Former prime minister Bob Menzies famously declared himself to be ‘British to the bootstraps’, and he was; as were all his fellow parliamentarians of the time.

In fact, it is likely hundreds of dual citizens have sat in Parliament since 1948 and no one cared, until recently. The Australian Constitution is a horribly outdated document that needs massive change. Unfortunately history shows that is highly unlikely to happen.

Geoff McLean, Launceston.

Climate Change

Climate change is real Jack Sonneman (The Examiner, December 2).

You can't change that fact.

No more, no more, no more, no more,

Can't change that fact no more.

Oh people. Oh people

Don't you treat me so mean

Climate's the same as it's ever been

Don't care what you say. Cos it's understood

Your cherry pickin' just ain't no good

Well I guess if you say so

That's the way I'll have to go

That's right. It's real Jack

And you can't change that fact

No more, no more, no more, no more.

Tony Newport, Hillwood.

Government Citizen’s Debacle

WITHOUT doubt this government members’ citizenship is a debacle.

I find it hard to accept that as a Commonwealth we cannot in any way shape or form have an association with the United Kingdom.

How did this get in our constitution?

Our laws are a direct copy of the United Kingdom after settling Australia.

When elected as a government member, they swear allegiance to Australia and Australia only.

However they can be accepted and allowed to risk the lives by joining the armed forces in the defence of Australia, without query.

Like Jacqui Lambie, (10 years in the armed forces) but are denied any part in the governing of Australia because their parents were born in the United Kingdom.

Unfortunately due to population if ever invaded Australia could not successfully defend itself, and would rely heavily United Kingdom’s assistance.

This is my opinion only

Peter Doddy, Trevallyn.

Political Donations

IF AUSTRALIAN politicians are not allowed to have dual nationality because of the possible conflict of interest then it follows that foreign donations to Australian political parties are also anathema.